The name Jeansone reached England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. It is based on the given name John and the name literally means "son of John." The given name John is derived from the Hebrew name Johanan, which means Jehovah has favored. The name was extremely popular in the Middle Ages as a result of the numerous connections between the name John and the Christian Church.

Early Origins of the Jeansone family

The surname Jeansone was first found in Lincolnshire, where many of the ancient and leading houses of the family name claim descent originally from the house of FitzJohn in Normandy, particularly that of one of the leading branches and oldest, the Johnsons of Ayscough-Fee. [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Lowe, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.

Jeansone Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence in the eras before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate regularly changed the spellings of their names as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Jeansone have been found, including Johnson, Joneson, Jonson, Joynson and others.

Early Notables of the Jeansone family (pre 1700)

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Benjamin Jonson (1572-1637), an English playwright, poet, actor, and literary critic; Daniel Johnson (1629-1675), an English buccaneer born in Bristol, who sailed against the Spanish during the late 17th century becoming known among the Spanish as "Johnson the Terror"; Sir Nathaniel Johnson (1644-1713)... Another 78 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Jeansone Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Jeansone family to Ireland

Some of the Jeansone family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.Another 139 words (10 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Jeansone family to the New World and Oceana

For many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Jeansone were among those contributors: Alice Johnson, who settled in Virginia in 1635; as did Abraham Johnson in 1648; Benjamin Johnson, who immigrated to Barbados in 1660; Thomas Johnson, who sailed to St. John's, Newfoundland in 1666.